Automation Engineer

First Recruitment Group; Greater Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Part time

Job summary

First Recruitment Group is seeking an Automation Engineer for a 12-month contract, operating on a hybrid model with significant time at Humber Refinery and Tetney Terminal. The role focuses on migration/re-architecture of control systems, with initial 12-week study phase and opportunities for further studies between November 2026 and October 2027.

You will interface with client operations teams, review I/O needs, conduct loop-by-loop assessments, and develop cutover strategies while managing

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, Automation Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Interface with Client Operations teams and IC S groups to capture and document stakeholder requirements.
• Review current and future I/O requirements.
• Conduct loop-by-loop reviews with Operations teams to identify and challenge like-for-like migrations and confirm ongoing loop requirements.
• Apply risk-based prioritisation and identify advanced control opportunities.
• Assess site infrastructure upgrade requirements and align with refinery outage plans.
• Develop migration and cutover strategies and provide regular progress updates to Worley, Client Responsible Engineers and Project Management teams.
• Deliver a final report and presentation to support funding decisions.

Skills

Automation migration

Owner-operator experience

Oil & gas industry

Stakeholder management

Technical report writing

Education

Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Instrumentation Engineering

Automation Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Or equivalent discipline

Job description

Hybrid: 3 days in office, 2 days home (Occasional trips to sites)

Overview

Our client is currently recruiting for an Automation Engineer to join our client's team on a 12-month contract, operating on a hybrid working model. The role will involve significant time spent at the Humber Refinery and Tetney Terminal to gather information from personnel and systems, alongside visits to client offices and remote working.

This position requires an experienced Automation Engineer with a strong background in both engineering/project delivery and owner-operator environments.

The initial study phase is expected to last approximately 12 weeks and will focus on reviewing, assessing, and recommending options for the migration and/or re-architecture of the site's control systems. This will include supporting schedule development, risk assessments, and economic benefit analysis.

Project execution strategies should incorporate cutover philosophies that prioritise hot cutovers where practical, minimising plant changes and operational risk. Where cold cutovers are required, these must be thoroughly assessed in collaboration with Operations teams.

Additional studies may be commissioned between November 2026 and October 2027. During active project phases, the successful candidate may be required to work up to 40 hours per week, with breaks anticipated between studies.

Key Responsibilities

• Interface with Client Operations teams and IC S groups to capture and document stakeholder requirements.
• Review current and future I/O requirements.
• Conduct loop-by-loop reviews with Operations teams to:
• Challenge "like-for-like" migrations.
• Confirm ongoing loop requirements.
• Apply risk-based prioritisation.
• Identify advanced control opportunities.
• Assess site infrastructure upgrade requirements, including:
• Instrument Equipment House capacity.
• Control room capacity.
• Containerised solutions where appropriate.
• Evaluate brownfield constructability and operability considerations.
• Ensure alignment with planned refinery unit outages.
• Document all key technical and project decisions.
• Develop recommendations suitable for handover to project delivery teams for FEED and execution phases.
• Support the development of migration and cutover strategies.
• Provide regular progress updates to Worley, Client Responsible Engineers, and Project Management teams.
• Deliver a comprehensive final report and summary presentation to support future funding decisions.
• Proven experience delivering similar automation and control system migration studies.
• Experience working within owner-operator environments and engineering project delivery teams.
• Experience in the oil & gas, process, utilities, or pharmaceutical industries.
• Ability to work autonomously while managing stakeholder engagement and reporting requirements.
• Strong technical report writing and documentation skills.
• Automation OEM experience.
• Knowledge of fiscal metering and truck loading systems within terminal environments.
• Familiarity with the EEMUA 191 Alarm Management Standard.
• IEC 61508 / IEC 61511 Functional Safety certification.

Qualifications

Degree qualified in either of the below:

• Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Instrumentation Engineering

• Automation Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Or an equivalent discipline

Company information

At First Recruitment Group we understand just how important it is to secure the right people. That is why our Recruitment Consultants always take the time to understand requirements in detail and offer sound advice to both clients and candidates. We actively recruit at all levels and this is a superb opportunity for an Automation Engineerlooking for new employment.

As part of putting people first, we strive to be an equal opportunities employer and we are always looking to increase the diversity of our workforce, working closely with our clients to ensure everyone is included.

Sector: Commercial, Admin & Office Support